Can you hurl a paint-splattered ladder into the bed of your truck from 20 feet away and not flinch when it hits? The owner of this fine American machine- which parks just a couple blocks from Chez Murilee- can do that!

Back in '59, a base half-ton Ford Styleside pickup would have run you $1,938, or about $14,500 in 2009 bucks. For that price you got a 223-cube I6 and a three-speed manual transmission. That's way cheaper than the least expensive Ford sedan, which was the $2,132 Custom 300 Six business coupe. What a deal!

I'm not including the Dodge- and Plymouth-branded Mitsubishis here; you'll need to check out the 450 DOTS: The Japanese post for the Colts and Arrows.

1947 Plymouth	1950 Dodge	1950 Plymouth	1951 Dodge
1951 Dodge	1952 Dodge	1952 Dodge	1955 Plymouth
1956 Imperial	1957 Chrysler	1961 Plymouth	1961 Plymouth
1962 Dodge	1962 Chrysler	1962 Chrysler	1964 Imperial
1964 Dodge	1964 Dodge	1964 Chrysler	1965 Plymouth
1965 Plymouth	1965 Plymouth	1965 Dodge	1966 Dodge
1966 Dodge	1966 Dodge	1967 Plymouth	1967 Imperial
1968 Plymouth	1969 Dodge	1969 Dodge	1969 Dodge
1970 Chrysler	1970 Dodge	1970 Dodge	1970 Dodge
1971 Chrysler	1971 Plymouth	1971 Imperial	1971 Chrysler
1971 Plymouth	1971 Plymouth	1972 Plymouth	1973 Plymouth
1973 Dodge	1974 Plymouth	1975 Dodge	1977 Plymouth
1978 Chrysler	1978 Dodge	1978 Dodge	1984 Plymouth
1986 Dodge	1986 Dodge	1990 Chrysler

When you're done here, check out the rest of the 450 DOTS Celebration:

The Maserati-powered Model T definitely made an impression at the last Billetproof Nor-Cal, which is totally understandable. After all, the [flawless Model A, B, or T] + [Chevy or Ford OHV V8] formula has been done so often and so well that you need a body machined from pure plutonium to really stand out these days, while the [rusty-ass ancient non-Ford] + [weird yet hypnotically cool engine] formula still offers plenty of fun for each pint of blood you spill in the Hell Garage. Tonight, we're going to look at a total of nine possible vehicle+engine combos, any one of which would draw vast crowds of Bettie Page lookalikes at the next Billetproof. Hear the rusty iron doors of the Hell Garage swinging open for you? Once closed, they'll be welded shut until you're done... or insane!

Every time I see the amazing DOTS '47 Plymouth rumbling through my neighborhood, I realize anew that old suicide-door Plymouth sedans let you roll in the purest Hell Garage style. Affordable examples are quite easy to find in diamond-in-the-rough condition, too. Say f'r'example, this 1937 Plymouth sedan, which has a no-doubt-negotiable $1,000 price tag. The patina is already perfect, and the "toast" interior should be viewed as an opportunity to commission a special burlap-and-studded-pleather extravaganza!

It's tough to argue with the appeal of a 62-year-old sedan, but an elderly pickup made by a farm equipment manufacturer might make you forget all about that Plymouth. This '38 IHC pickup, which has been sitting in an Iowa field since Syngman Rhee was in office, has the perfect paint finish for Billetproof stardom, though we're not sure that "no bullet holes" is really a selling point. No matter, though- you can always make your own bullet holes!

Sedans? Trucks? Don't forget station wagons! Sure, you'd like a two-door wagon, and a Ford Ranch Wagon would be an excellent choice... but even that might veer uncomfortably close to the overchromed aesthetic behind those hyper-sanitary Chevy Nomads we see at mainstream car shows. Don't worry, because LeMons Rabbit racer Casadelshawn has tipped us off about this Opel Olympia Caravan, which is priced right in LeMons territory... which isn't relevant, because you know that mini-Euro-Nomad will be just the car to receive the engine of your deepest fears dreams! And, speaking of engines...

Now that you've picked out your chassis, what would you say to a 317-horse, DOHC/4-valve aluminum V8 that should be making good power until the Sun goes supernova? You can get this Nissan VK56DE out of a Nissan Titan pickup for well under two grand, though you'll need to spend many a few more bucks setting it up with an octet of Weber carbs and some sort of transmission.

A Nissan 5.6 liter V8 would be fun, but imagine all the wild Teutonic Maltese-cross decor you could put on your Opel, Plymouth, or IHC if you were to drop a Mercedes-Benz 5.6 liter V8 into the engine compartment? An M117, freshly torn from the still-twitching corpse of a big ol' Cocaine Dealer Grade 560SEL, would be just the ticket, and here's a 69,000-mile specimen for a mere 710 bucks! You'll need to ditch that irritatingly modern fuel-injection system and replace it with some carburetors, of course, and we recommend a homemade pipe-organ-style intake manifold made from galvanized plumbing fittings and sucking fuel from as many updraft Cessna carburetors as you can obtain. Then you'll start your junkyard quest for a functional junkyard transmission. How hard could it be?

Is there some rule that states you've got to have a V8? No? Well, how about one of GM's coolest engines ever, a high-performance inline six that struggled to get attention while in the shadow of big-inch monster V8s during the Muscle Car Golden Age? Yes, we mean the Pontiac OHC six-cylinder, which was a Chevrolet 230 or 250 six equipped with a futuristic (for 1960s Detroit) belt-driven overhead-cam cylinder head. The high-performance Sprint version, installed in regrettably few Firebirds and Tempests, could hold its own against V8s with vastly more displacement... but real Sprints are hard to find. No problem, though, because you can build your own Sprint from this Pontiac OHC 250, which is sitting with a top bid of just 150 bucks.

Ready to decide? Let's vote!

In Tomsk's words:

F250: The Ford F-Series has ruled the pickup roost for decades now, but how did it get there? This early- to mid-'70s F250 regular cab might offer some clues, including the most obvious of which is the fact it's still operational. The owner has added some wheels from a later F-Series, it appears everything else it wore back in the day, from the novelty mud flaps to the "Camper Special" badges are still in tact. And best of all? No cupholders in sight!

Suburban: This leviathan holds a special place in my heart, as my parents owned an '84 C20 'Burb for 15 years.While ours had a carbureted 454, the 1987 model year (which is what this is judging by the grille and the badge on the tailgate) marked the introduction of EFI. Regardless of what's under the hood, I feel this generation of Suburbans has a certain romance about it, as it was the last of the line that wasn't found in 70% of suburban (See what I did there?) driveways and driven by spraytanned MILFs who wanted something that would keep their 2.5 brats safe in a collision with anything smaller than a Peterbilt and let them (literally) look down upon the other moms in Tauruses, Caravans and 5 Series Bimmers.

El Camino: Considering where tha Jalop's allegiances lie, I had to include at least one Elky, right? Well, here she is, the year conveniently identified by the license plate frames. With the IROC Camaro wheels, it's guaran-bleeping-teed to make your haircut at least 50% more business-like in the front and at least 75% more party-like in the back. How can you lose?

Ford F Series: Before Dearborn's medium-duty pickups were offered with such niceties as voice-activated infotainment systems, heated leather seats, integrated trailer brake controls and diesel engines with enough torque to puree diamonds, they looked a little something like this, because back in the days of Camelot and the Great Society, pickup buyers didn't know they needed such things.

Uh, they do need 'em, right?

As with the R35 GT-R wagon and this R34 GT-R wagon, this lime green example of awesomeness was created using Nissan's Stagea station wagon (thought the last generation model) as the basis. The Stagea makes for an easy swap for the GT-R front clip since it shares its chassis and drivetrain with the Skyline. Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan based, Dear Motorsports produced the GT-R El Camino by chopping the entire upper rear portion of the bodywork from the C-pillar on back. They fabricated a new bed and the rear of the cab as well as removing the rear passenger doors to create this tasty little morsel. We're starting to think that maybe we need to start chopping up some cars because this ish is off the hook!
(Hat Tip to Adam!)

[via zenkai-flatout]

Today I am going to honor this little truck (which I've been borrowing to haul engines and sheets of plywood since the early '90s; it's always wise to encourage your sister to marry a Toyota truck owner) by posing it at the former Alameda Naval Air Station and giving it the DOTS treatment. This is the truck mentioned in the Orange Mix Tape post.


My brother-in-law (let's call him BIL for short) bought this truck new in Los Angeles in 1987, and ordered it in the most stripped-down, un-optioned form possible. No bumpers. No radio. No A/C. 4-speed transmission. You don't need frills when you've got the Warlord Grade 22R engine under the hood!


Unlike your typical Toyota-driving warlord, however, BIL has maintained his truck with obsessive care. Oh, sure, the body and interior are beat to crap (which is to be expected when a vehicle spends most of its life living in L.A., San Francisco,and Oakland), but every single mechanical maintenance item has been carried out on the dot. You're looking at the single major failed component of this truck's 240,000-mile lifetime in the photo above: the master cylinder went bad about 5 years back. Other than that, only normal wear items such as brake pads, catalytic converter, etc., have been replaced. The original clutch is still working fine. Even by Toyota standards, we're talking absurd reliability here.


Which isn't to say it hasn't needed some electrical work over the years, because it has been stolen once, had its ignition punched four times during attempted thefts, and had the dash torn open by stereo thieves more times than there are AK-47s in an Afghani Hilux. Ah, street parking in the big city.


The current sound system is a Pick Your Part Half Price Sale special setup, with a mid-80s Subaru radio mounted in a crude plywood faceplate that seems to be pretty good at convincing thieves that they should move on the the single-disc CD player in the Mitsubishi Cordia parked down the street.

The incident allegedly began when the two nearly collided exiting Interstate 25 near Colorado Springs. The Prius then followed the pickup before pulling alongside and sideswiping the truck three times. When the 61-year-old pickup driver pulled over, the 30-year-old Prius driver shoved him. The pickup driver now complains of back pain. The assault was upgraded to a felony because, in Colorado, anyone over 60 is defined as an “at risk adult.”

The result of the scuffle? Damage to the Prius’s side where it impacted the undamaged truck’s wheels and unspecified jail time for the vehicle’s owner. [via The Colorado Springs Gazette]

We've got an '85 4WD Toyota pickup with just 25,000 miles on the clock, no rust, and a freshly rebuilt 22R (which must be a record for the fewest number of miles prior to a rebuild on any Toyota R engine in history). We can't manage to slog all the way through the CAPS LOCK-enhanced, red-and-blue-text description (which features such brain-scramblers as "HE HAVES OVER $8,000 WIYH THE MECHANICAL WORK"), but you can tell this truck is pretty damn nice from the photographs. It failed to sell with a $6,000 Buy It Now; in fact, nobody even tried to meet the $1,000 starting bid price. Nice Price? Crack Pipe? You decide!
[eBay Motors, thanks to Parrish for the tip]

I've selected 1953 as the model year for this truck, but it could be a '52, or a '51 with later "push-button" doors (this truck has apparently had a door transplant), or a '48 frame with a '51 cab, or… well, you get the idea. To add to the fun, you couldn't get a Chevy pickup with a chrome grille during the Korean War- chromium being a strategic war material- so the grille on this thing isn't original. Old pickups are so useful that they serve as rolling repositories for generation after generation of junkyard parts, and trying to nail down an exact year on one would probably require a look at the pink slip.


The doors are especially interesting, so much so that I hope the owner never repaints them. Back in the early 1950s, there was a military base somewhere with an early-50s Chevy truck hauling provisions to the Commissioned Officers' Mess. It probably wasn't the (now-closed) Alameda Naval Air Station, which favored Dodge trucks.


This truck is still earning its keep; it parks on the street and goes to work every day (unlike its nearby sibling, the '53 GMC, which doesn't seem to move much these days.

Who would have thought, back in the early 70s, that GM's most profitable vehicles- and the focus of its best stylists and engineers- a few decades later would be body-on-frame trucks? That more Americans would be commuting in them than hauling stuff in them? This Custom Deluxe might not be a great choice for a comfy, bounce-and-rattle-free commute, but it's got more luxury touches than did the plain ol' Custom. That's right, the base 1/2-ton Chevy pickup in '71 was named the Custom, which should have meant that a team of pinstripe and airbrush artists made gave each one unique custom touches after it rolled off the line… but in practice was just marketing magic.


This truck lives just across the street from the 1919 Ford Model T Touring. This isn't the first of The General's 1971 trucks we've seen in this series; this big-block Chevy pickup, this super-clean '71 Blazer, and this '71 GMC pickup may also be found on the island.

I'm pretty sure this truck is the parts hauler owned by the guy responsible for the '74 Buick LeSabre, Studebaker Avanti, '69 Buick Electra, '65 Ford Ranchero, and '69 Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible. Each of those cars lived on the block for a few months, then disappeared, so most likely this is a serious car guy who wheels and deals at all times. And for that you need a big pickup!


The 240-cube six was the base engine for 1966 Ford light-duty pickups, but the dual exhausts on this one suggest that it has some sort of V8. The 352 was the optional powerplant for this truck in '66, but odds are good that a larger member of the FE family now lives under the hood. 390? 428?

Usually, when a vehicle owner's political beliefs- be they of the strident Left or the enraged Right- are sufficiently powerful to make painting messages on the vehicle's body seem like a good idea, that person keeps the messages up to date. Not so with this '70 Chevy; after the mid-to-late 1990s, it appears that no cause fired the truck's owner up like his or her loathing for Bill Clinton.


Proposition 209, which abolished ethnic preferences in California schools, dates from 1996. You'd think there'd be at least one recent right-wing talk-radio bumper sticker on the thing, but it's all totally vintage. Now I need to find the lefty counterpart to this truck; perhaps a VW Transporter with big "EL SALVADOR IS SPANISH FOR VIETNAM" signs on the flanks in peeling, faded house paint.


Since we don't see any 307, 350, or 400 emblems on this truck, we can assume it shipped from the factory with a 250- or 292-cube inline six. Since replacement engines tend to have a revolving door into and out of the engine compartments of old Chevrolets, there's no telling what powers this truck today.

I'd never heard of The Dude prior to researching Dodge D series special-edition trucks for the DOTS '78 Power Wagon earlier today, but it wasn't long before I came upon DodgeDude.com, a website devoted to the 1,500 to 2,000 Dudes built during the 1970 and 1971 model years. It goes without saying that Allpar would have extensive Dude info as well. The Dude Sport Trim Package was available on Sweptlines in the United States and Canada (where it was sold as the Fargo Sweptline Dude) and included a special tailgate, bumblebee stripes, Dude emblems, and other goodies. Let the Big Lebowski jokes commence!
[DodgeDude.com, Allpar]

It's Truck Monday again, and today that means we'll be checking out a fine stack-equipped example of the Keep On Truckin' Era (aka Malaise Era): a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon pickup.


In 1978, you could boogie down to your friendly Dodge dealer and roar off the lot in a tape-stripe-a-ganza of a special-edition D series pickup. Everyone knows about the Lil' Red Express, which boasted the highest top speed of any Big Three-built vehicle- including the Corvette- during the darkest days of Malaise, but don't forget the Midnite Express, the Warlock, or the Macho Power Wagon! This truck appears to be a sort of junkyard mashup of a regular D series with the Lil' Red Express and the Macho Power Wagon (though it's not quite as macho as this '70). Or were the exhaust stacks a factory option available on any D series truck? Dodge truck experts, any insights?


I found this truck parked just around the corner from the '88 Porsche 924S and a mean-looking Buick Electra we haven't seen yet. Good DOTS neighborhood!

The concept was just unveiled at the Thailand International Motor Expo and features styling inspired by chunky power tools and the kind of practicality that can only come from a reasonable size and frugal engine. But, this isn’t just a reskinned Mazda B-series, this vehicle is said to hint at what the next generation Ranger could look like.

The official press release follows:

"We know Ranger is tough and durable, and Ranger Max adds to those qualities. The show truck does not follow a trend; it sets a new tough style direction for compact trucks," says Paul Gibson, the chief designer of the Ranger Max show truck.

"Ranger Max is genuinely tough, and it is a truck that gets the job done. This high-impact show truck also has the bold visual presence that looks great on the urban scene."

A team of Ford truck specialists in Thailand worked closely with Ford's Australia-based Asia Pacific and Africa design team, led by Gibson, to create Ranger Max.

Ford's design team incorporated design cues into Ranger Max that may be seen in future-generation Ranger.

"The Ranger Max is not just about creating show excitement," Gibson said. "We have a great opportunity to test design themes that may make their way into production. Ranger Max says exciting things about the possibilities for truck fans in Ranger's future."
Tough Style

Ford Ranger Max ConceptGibson and his team of designers concentrated on exploring the limits of tough style. "Ranger Max wasn't meant to be elegant or pretty. The robust nature of Ranger means that it is the dependable workhorse, and with Ranger Max we wanted to create a show truck that is cool as hell."

They took inspiration from things many truck owners know and appreciate. The distinctive contrast between Ranger Max's hardcore orange paintwork with matte black accents is inspired by the functional design found in some modern power tools – just like those used by many Ranger owners every day.

Ford designers recognize how absolute function and durability inspire these industrial tools and make them more appealing.

Industrial shapes such as the cog-like detailing in the body accents and wheel arch mouldings extend Ranger Max's theme of tough style as the ultimate power tool.

Ford Ranger Max ConceptPushing the power tool inspiration a step further, the Ranger Max design team noted how power tools and similar objects incorporated words into their design to convey instructions or warnings. Ranger Max uses 'words' in this same style to accentuate its robust 'industrial feel'.

Ranger Max is full of details like this, such as the word GRAB‚ imprinted subtly on the bold, black grab handle in the side of the sportsbar linked to the cab.

Every letter is precisely shaped in a 'truncated' font that complements the toughness and utility the overall truck design communicates.

Several power tool brands have inspired Ford designers. Other inspirations for Ranger Max have come from active sports, such as rock climbing, and the tough, technical products used by active sportsmen.

The orange high-energy colour - named Mango Hit - is a creation of Debbie Pascoe, colour and trim manager, Ranger Max design team.

Ford Ranger Max ConceptAdding more dynamism to the profile is the sportsbar, which attaches to the pickup bed and arches across the vehicle. It is shaped to create the visual impression that Ranger Max is always on the move.

"The sportsbar makes a big statement," explains Max Tran, a Ford designer who played a key role in developing the vehicle.

"It adds a feeling of movement and dynamic character, and incorporates some great design details, including twin air scoop shapes on top."

Built into each side of the crossbar is an integral grab handle. Finished in matte black plastic, the grab handle design is all about purpose.

The dark shape of the grab handle visually extends the perceived shape of the Ranger Max side window shape, accentuating the feel of functionality and space of the Ranger side-access Open Cab.

The grab handle is labelled – like instructions on power tools and on aircraft – with the word GRAB. Similarly, the side door of the Ranger Max is distinctively yet discretely labelled AXCESS. These functional callouts also extend to the Ranger Max fuel inlet, which is designed to intersect one of the bold wheel arches, labelled FUEL.

Ford Ranger Max Concept"There's no mistaking the purpose of labels like these on power tools," Tran explained. "On Ranger Max, they fulfil the same role. It's the style of purpose."

For example, the vent on each front fender uses hexagon-shaped details and discrete chrome badging with the word RANGER. MAX adjoins this Ranger badge to reinforce the show truck's name.

Other design details in the Ranger Max profile include incorporating the side repeater lamp into the side mirror. The lower bodyside, with two-piece interlocked sidestep look, was inspired by rock-climbing carabineers and other outdoor gear you trust with your life.

The unique, 18-inch deep-dish, six-spoke alloy wheels – with black graphic funnel shapes to their centres – feature large offsets and are combined with P285/60R18 tires with a chunky tread pattern.

The bold wheel arches with cog-shaped detailing reinforce Range Max's stance and its purpose. Dynamic side graphics on the fenders and lower doors are inspired by the high-impact of shattering glass.

"When you look at the front design, the three-bar grille, the overt nostrils and open mouth, you're looking straight into the face of Ranger's evolution," said Gibson.

"There are design elements we are developing and Ranger Max is one possibility. We've crafted the face of the Ranger Max to explore a new look. Elements from it could evolve into the new identity of Ford Ranger."

The three-bar grille is a Ford hallmark design element, conveying strength and quality, integrated with a proud, large badge of the famous Ford blue oval. Ranger Max adopts dynamic, modern headlamps which angle at the top to communicate energy and movement.

The front end is characterized by the dominating power-dome hood with integral hot-air vent, the corporate three-bar grille which imbeds itself into the lower enlarge air intake and the Ranger branding – embossed in the top of the front grille surround.

[Source: Ford]